Synchrony between Early Jurassic extinction, oceanic anoxic event, and the Karoo-Ferrar flood basalt volcanism

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 2000 Synchrony between Early Jurassic extinction, oceanic anoxic event, and the Karoo-Ferrar flood basalt volcanism József Pálfy; József Pálfy 1Department of Geology and Paleontology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, H-1431 Budapest, Hungary Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul L. Smith Paul L. Smith 2Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information József Pálfy 1Department of Geology and Paleontology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, H-1431 Budapest, Hungary Paul L. Smith 2Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 10 Jan 2000 Revision Received: 18 May 2000 Accepted: 23 May 2000 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2000) 28 (8): 747–750. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<747:SBEJEO>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 10 Jan 2000 Revision Received: 18 May 2000 Accepted: 23 May 2000 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation József Pálfy, Paul L. Smith; Synchrony between Early Jurassic extinction, oceanic anoxic event, and the Karoo-Ferrar flood basalt volcanism. Geology 2000;; 28 (8): 747–750. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<747:SBEJEO>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract A well-known second-order mass extinction took place during the Pliensbachian and Toarcian Stages of the Early Jurassic. First recognized as a minor Pliensbachian peak in the global extinction rate, it has alternatively been interpreted as a regional response to the early Toarcian oceanic anoxic event. Detailed studies established it as a global long-term event spanning five successive ammonoid zones. Here we present a revised time scale based on high-precision U-Pb ages resolved to the zone level, which suggests that elevated extinction rates were sustained for about 4 m.y. and peak extinction occurred at 183 Ma. Recent isotopic dating of flood basalts from the southern Gondwanan Karoo and Ferrar provinces documents a culmination in volcanic activity ca. 183 Ma. The onset of volcanism is recorded as an inflection and start of a rapid rise of the seawater 87Sr/86Sr curve. The synchrony of voluminous flood basalt eruptions and biotic crises, as already noted for three of the major mass extinctions, permits a causal relationship, which in this case may be mediated by widespread oceanic anoxia. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.